Shaft supporting and regulating appliance for four-wheeled vehicles.



T. H. BRIGG.

SHAFT SUPPORTING AND REGULATING APPLIANCE FOR FOUR WHEELED VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17' I9I5.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

UNITED STATES P A TENT orsron.

THOMAS HARGREAVES BRIGG, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Liar, 14, 1916.

Application filed February 17,1915. Serial No. 8,804.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Hanonnavns BRIGG, a subject ofthe King of England, residing at Bishops Park, London, England, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Shaft Supporting and Regulating Appliances for FourlVheeled 'Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for relieving draft animals attached to 4=-wheeled vehicles from theirksome and exhausting burdens which :have hitherto handicapped their efliciency unnecessarily to a very great extent.

The invention consists generally in so sup porting the shafts that their weight is earried mainly or entirely by the wheels of the vehicle without any assistance on the part of the animal; it also relates to improved automatic means for transferring the weight to and from the animal when pulling and back ing the vehicle.

In the typicalway of carrying out the invention I strengthen the rear ends of the shafts with a flat or round triangularshaped bracket of any suitable material so shaped and attached as to form a strengthening device, and to constitute an abutment, underneath the shafts, either at each side thereof or extending from side to side, a suitable connecting device being provided when necessary From the lower part of this abutment a connection is made to a forward part of the shaft so as toconstitutea triangular strut which serves the two fold purpose of strengthening the abutments and also the shaft against any breaking strains. The triangular strut and shafts thus become a single structural unit hinging freely upon the bolt connecting the shafts to the forecarriage of the vehicle. I also provide a corresponding abutment upon the fore-carriage, which is preferably pivoted on the bolt connecting the shafts and the fore-carriage and is preferably of the same length, below the bolt, as the abutment on the shafts, so that when the shafts are lowered they are brought to rest at any desired angle, a suitable controlling spring or springs capable of regulation to take any desired weight being provided for controlling the device. The spring-or springs maybe fitted at one or both sides of the vehicle or in any other suitable position in connection thereby means of the lock nuts 6. 7 before stated screw into the tubes 6 and pass with, and when two sets of springs are provided means such as'a worm shaft and nuts may be furnished for regulating the spring pressure at both sides simultaneously.

- For automatically transferring the weight to and from the horse when pulling and backing I provide an arrangement of levers which will hereafter be more fully described. And in order that this invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows one method of applying the same to a l-wheeled vehicle.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the shafts in the normal position; Fig. 2 is a plan; Fig. 3 is-a side elevation showing theshafts in two different positions that is to say turnedup and with the ends of the shafts pressed to the ground; Figs. 4 to 11 show various constructional and other de tails hereinafter referred to.

a are links shown to a larger scale at Figs. 6 and '7 which may be of forged or cast acted and conveniently carried by the bolt connecting the shafts to the fore carriage of the vehicle. V

b are hollow rods jointed to the lower end of the links a, which rods 6 have screwed therein other rods 0 so as to render them adjustable'as to length, the constructional details being shown to a larger scale at Figs. 4 and 5. In the case under consideration the adjustment is effected by constructing'the rods or bars Z1 tubular and suitably screwthreaded internally and externally.

' d is a collar bar, or the like held in position by a lock nut e, from which collar or bar d helical tension springs f extend to the.

front bar 9 of the fore carriage, so that the pull of the springs can be regulated by suitably adjusting the position of the collar or The rods as through a perforation in a lug or bracket 72. attached'to the lower portion of the under carriage. I

la is a head or nut on each rod 0. Each shaft m, is provided with a stiffening bar n attached to the shaft m at 79 and connected to the inner end of the shaft near the bolt by a bracket or the like, so as to form an abut ment' to take against the abutment formed by each link a, as will be clearly seen by the drawing.

It is desirable that the springs shall be sufficiently strong to constitute a fairly rigid stop but they shall have sufiicient length to allow the shafts to be pressed with their forward ends to the ground so that should the draft animal happen to fall it will take the shafts to the ground. without unduly straining either the spring or the fore carriage.

As before mentioned the pull of the springs can be regulated by adjusting the nuts 6 and as the rods can be screwed into the tubes 7) the angle of the abutment can be regulated; the head or nut 9 coming into contact with the bracket h preventing the springs from pulling the rods right out.

The rods 0 as will be readily understood" move freely backward when the shafts are forced downward. The bracket or lug h may comprise two fittings or it may consist, as shown, of a suitable bar or the like fixed across beneath the fore carriage.

In the preferred construction I also provide, as shown, a bar or strip (Z extending across, and to this bar I attach any desirable number of springs (two shown on the drawing) extending preferably to the bar of the fore carriage in such .a. direction that the backward pull of the spring or springs shall partly or wholly counteract the forward pull of the shaft at the joints in as direct a line as possible for the purpose of reducing the strain in the fore carriage to a minimum.

Fig. 10 shows sectional enlargement through the front bar with a lug g for fixing the spring, the said device being attached preferably withthe same bolt as thatwhich carries the pivot of the link a.

It will be seen from Fig. 2 that means are provided at each end of the cross bar .(Z, for regulating the tension of the springs and that the heads is on each side are capable of ample adjustment for the varying heights of the shafts.

Fig. 1 shows the shaft at the normal working height and yet free to be lifted into the position shown at Fig. 3 or turned down. vVhen in the upright position it will be seen that the shaft and the fore-carriage abutments are quite apart from each other at their extremities, while when. pressed to the ground the extremities come together and press the spring controlled rods backward. The magnitude of resistance against movement is regulated by-the nuts 6.

Another of many possible means of construction for effecting the same objects is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 where the fork 1" is formed by bending a piece of flat iron into the desired shape packed witha piece of wood 8 if so desired-with an additional thickening part t which is tapped to receive the adjusting extension screwed rod a carrying the lock nuts 1) and w shown in the said Fig. 6. Any number of eye bolts may be carried for the purpose of attaching the spring or springs necessary along the cross bar 3 the position of which, in this case, is-

regulated upon the extension screw u as a substitute for the bar e, Fig. 2.

Fig. llishows in side elevation a typical form of automatic means for transferring the weight to'and from the horse when pulling and backing. attached to the under carriage of the vehicle and having pivoted thereto a lever 5, 6. To

the end 5 of this lever is pivoted a backing.

rod 7 which is attached at theend 5 to the breech band of the harness. The lever 5, 6 carries at the lower end a hook 8 to which the trace is connected. 9 is another bracket also attached to the under carriage and carrying in suitable bearings a lever 10, 1].. The end 10 of the lever 10, 11 and the lower end of the lever 5, 6 are connected by a rod 12 as shown, the end 11 of the lever is forked or. otherwise suitably formed so as to be engaged over or in connection with the extension rod 0 shown in Fig. 1 and a regulating nut 13 is provided for regulatingthe position of this lever- In action thepull is transmitted through the medium of the connecting rod 12 to the lever 10, 11 with the pivot of the lever 7,' 8 as the center of l is a bracket suitably.

moments. The thrust on the nut 13 is in a direction for putting the spring into greater tension and letting the shafts down at their given merely by way of example as the constructional details may be varied to suit the .1055 shown on the accompanying. drawing are nature of the vehicle to which the apparatus is to be applied without departing from the principle of the invention.

What I claim as my-invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United 1 States of America is 1. A shaft supporting and regulating ap-.

pliance for vehicles comprising in combination a plate pivoted at one end in the neigh-.

borhood of the bolt which connects the shaft to the fore-carriage and having pivoted to the other end thereof "a rod. spring means tending to press the-rod and plate in the-forward direction with respect to the vehicle and an abutment for the shaft adapted to bear upon the said plate when the shafts are turned down to a substantially horizontal position for the purpose set forth.

2. A shaft supporting and regulating appliance for vehicles comprising in combination a plate pivoted at one end in the neiglr .borhood of the bolt which connects the shaft to the fore-carriage, a rod pivoted to the other end thereof and guided by suitable means in connection with the under carriage of the vehicle, spring means tending to press the rod and plate in the forward direction with respect to the vehicle, means for adjusting the strength of the spring means and an abutment for the shaft adapted to bear upon the said plate when the shafts are turned down to a substantially horizontal position for the purpose set forth.

3. A shaft supporting and regulating appliance for vehicles comprising in combination a plate pivoted at one end in the neighborhood of the bolt which connects the shaft to the fore-carriage, a tube pivoted to the other end thereof, a screw thread on the interior and exterior of the said tube, a rod provided with an external screw thread screwing into the tube and passing through a suitable guide device in connection with the vehicle, a nut screwing on the outside of the tube and controlling the movements of a moving part, and spring means controlled by the movements of said part and adapted to press the plate normally in the forward direction with respect to the vehicle, and an abutment for the shaft adapted to bear upon the said plate when the shafts are turned down to a substantially horizontal position for the purpose set forth.

4. A shaft supporting and regulating appliance for vehicles comprising in combination members pivoted at one end in the neighborhood of the bolts which connect the shafts to the fore-carriage, a tube located at each side, each such tube being pivoted to the outer end of one of the aforesaid members, a screw thread on the interior and exterior of each tube, a rod for each tube provided with an external screw thread and screwing into the tube and passing through a suitable guide device in connection with the vehicle, a nut screwing on to the outside of each tube, a bar extending across beneath the vehicle and adapted to slide with respect to the tubes and to be locked by the aforesaid nuts on the tubes, spring means extending between the said bar and the front of the carriage and tending to press the beforementioned pivoted members normally in the forward direction, and abutments for the shafts adapted to bear upon the said pivoted members when the shafts, are turned down to a substantially horizontal position for the purposes set forth.

5. A shaft supporting and regulating appliance for vehicles comprising in combination a plate pivoted at one end in the neighborhood of the bolt which connects the shaft to the fore-carriage, a rod pivoted to the other end thereof and guided by suitable means in connection with the under carriage of the vehicle, spring means tending to press the rod and plate in the forward direction with respect to the vehicle, an abutment for the shaftadapted to bear upon the said plate when the shafts are turned down to a substantially horizontal position, a lever pivoted in connection with the fore-carriage and having means of attachment at the upper end for a backing rod and at the lower end for the trace, another lever also pivoted to the fore-carriage and connected at its upper end by a suitable connecting rod to the lower end of the first-mentioned lever and means of connection between the other end of the second lever and the rod in con= nection with the plate forming the spring abutment for the purposes set forth. a

6. A shaft supporting and regulating appliance for vehiclescomprising in combination a plate pivoted at one end-in the neighborhood of the bolt which connects the shaft to the fore-carriage, a tube pivoted to the other end thereof, a screw thread on the interior and exterior of the said tube, 'a rod provided with an external screw thread screwing intothe tube and passing through a suitable guide device in connection with the vehicle, a nut screwing on the outside of the tube and controlling the movements of a moving part, spring means controlled by the movement of the said part and adapted to press the plate normally in the forward direction with respect to the vehicle, an

abutment for the shaft adapted to bear uponthe said plate when the shafts are turned down to a substantially horizontal position, a lever pivoted to move in a substantially vertical plane in suitable bearings in connection with the under carriage, a backing rod connected to the upper end of said lever, means of connection for the trace at the lower end of said lever, another lever pivoted to move in a substantially vertical plane in bearings in connection with the under carriage, means of connection between the upper end of thesecond mentioned lever and the lower end of the first mentioned lever, the lower end of the second lever being controlled by a nut working on the rod screwing into the beforementioned tube,

substantially as and for the purposes de- THOMAS HARGREAVES BRIGG.

signature Witnesses:

vA. E. VIDAL, L. SIMMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

